Little Prince Charming
by Starquilter57
Summary: Traveling with a three-year-old can be interesting, especially if his name is Spock. Of course he brings his parents along, as well as a Betazoid Xenosociologist. Last Chapter up! Ardana's last mission. S/U
1. Chapter 1

I Own Nothing, though I would take little Spock if they gave him to me!

Little Prince Charming

Ardana Treli was beginning to weary of her research project. She was native of Betazed, a senior cadet at Starfleet Academy, pursuing a course of study in Xenosociology. She had been assigned to this diplomatic mission as a historian, to record any great moments that occurred as a result of the Federation's First Contact with a newly discovered race, the Jorians. There had been no such exciting moments. They were a stiff and stoic lot, even less expressive than the Vulcan ambassador and his staff, who were also part of the mission. In the end, however, the Jorians were open to further talks with Federation members for the purpose of trade. The assignment had been a boring success.

The Cochrane, the small ship on which they all traveled, was cramped, and only capable of Warp 2. The journey had been long, and frankly some of the passengers and crew were beginning to get on each others nerves. The Vulcans and Tellarites especially seemed to have difficulty tolerating one another.

The presence of Ambassador Sarek's lovely Terran wife and precious, precocious 3 year -old son Spock was a bright spot in Ardana's tedious daily routine. She and Amanda had become friends, and little Spock was delightful to observe, a beautiful child who in appearance mostly favored his Vulcan father. However, his mother's expressive and compelling brown eyes dominated his face. He was a little charmer, daily giving Ardana cause to smile or even chuckle.

It was obvious to Ardana that Ambassador Sarek had not spent much time alone caring for his small son. While Amanda was enjoying tea with some other diplomats' wives, she left the two males in her life in the dining/rec area to fend for themselves. Satisfied that his son was amusing himself with a book, Sarek quickly became embroiled in a "discussion" with the Tellarite Ambassador.

Young Spock read for awhile, and then noticed that his father was distracted. He seized the opportunity to slip out the door unseen. His goal was the Observation Deck, with its large viewing port. With his juice cup and a favorite toy in tow, he quickly made his way there. When he reached his destination, however, there was a problem. His small legs were tired, but if he sat down on the floor he would be unable to see out the large window. He was too short to get up into one of the available chairs unassisted. Frustrated, he sat down on the floor, and considered his options.

Though only three, he was aware that Sarek would discipline him for slipping away without permission or an escort. (His high-profile parents' greatest fear was that their son might be a target for kidnappers.) Though he considered the opportunity to look at the stars worth any possible punishment, he did not wish to return to his father before he had accomplished his goal.

Ardana had seen Spock slip away and had followed him. "What are you doing here alone, little one?"

"I wished to see the stars, and Father was busy. However, I cannot reach the chairs or the viewing port. Could you please assist me?"

Ardana slid two chairs over to the port and boosted Spock onto one of them. They sat together in silence for a few minutes.

"You like watching the stars, don't you, Spock?"

"Yes, Miss Ardana, though Father would say it is not logical. Someday I would like to see them even more closely."

"Perhaps you will, little one. But for now, let's get you back to the rec room, hopefully before your father notices that you are missing." She helped him down, and they made their way back through the ship's corridors. When they reached the rec room, the two ambassadors were still "debating", so they were not observed when they re-entered the room. Spock picked up his book, and a few moments later Amanda returned from her tea. Ardana and Spock glanced at each other, realizing they had gotten away with it.

"What a little charmer", thought Ardana. "He's going to really give them hell someday."

A/NHelp!!! I need a Beta Reader!


	2. Chapter 2

Budding Linguist

Ardana had observed that little Spock did not really care for the food that was served aboard the Cochrane. He was not a picky eater, at home always consuming whatever his parents served him without complaint. This was expected of a Vulcan child. One ate enough to sustain life and proper health, and those who lived on a desert planet could not afford to be wasteful. However, the starship food was unfamiliar and sometimes just plain unpalatable to him. He was eating only enough of it to keep his mother somewhat mollified.

On this particular morning, he was finding his breakfast especially undesirable. He had been served something called grits and cared for neither the taste nor the texture. Spock consumed half of the offending food, along with the sliced bananas and strawberries, drank his apple juice, and asked to be excused.

His mother, although somewhat exasperated, nodded her consent. "Sarek, I am concerned that our son is not eating enough."

"He will not starve himself to death, my wife. A diplomat's son must learn to eat what is put before him."

Spock had discovered the replicator quite by accident. A crew member named Pike walked up to the rec room replicator and demanded a peanut butter cookie from it. He simply walked up to it, and spoke the words "Peanut butter cookie" at it. The machine complied, and the cookie appeared. One need only open the unit's door to retrieve it.

Spock liked peanut butter cookies. His mother would sometimes bake them, though not often. Vulcans generally did not indulge in sweet desserts. He was still hungry. He glanced at his parents, still seated at a table, engaged in conversation with other diplomats.

Quietly, so as to not attract attention, he rose from the chair where he had been reading, and walked over to the replicator. In the softest possible voice, he demanded "peanut butter cookie." The cookie appeared. He took a napkin from the holder next to the machine, and picked it up, carefully wrapping the cookie while avoiding actual contact with his hands. Vulcans, after all, did not eat with their hands. Just as quietly, he returned to his chair and his book. The book was of a large format, with many color photos of the Terran continent of Africa. It was quite fascinating, and he could easily hide behind it long enough to eat his cookie, pushing it up through the napkin as he went.

Spock did not realize he had been observed by Ardana,. She found the whole escapade amusing. Over the next few days, the "cookie caper" was repeated often, until the fateful afternoon when his father caught him in the act.

Spock's parents both needed to attend a diplomatic briefing, so he had been left in Ardana's care.

Sarek returned to the rec room to retrieve a forgotten item, just in time to see his son place several napkin-wrapped cookies into his overall pocket.

"My son, what is in your pocket?"

"Peanut butter cookies, Father. I am hungry."

"Spock, this is lacking in nutritional value, and therefore is not the type of food one should consume when hungry. Have you replicated cookies often?"

"Father, I have done so several times recently." Spock might occasionally be sneaky, but he was not a liar.

"I see. I am going to request that the programming of this machine be changed, so that it no longer accepts requests from you for cookies, either in Vulcan or in Federation Standard. You must eat what your mother selects for you . She knows your nutritional requirements. Food preferences are not logical."

"Yes, Father."

"However, you may consume the cookies you have already replicated. It would be illogical to waste them."

"Thank you, Father." And with that, Sarek returned to his meeting.

No more cookies, as he could no longer request them in either language that he spoke. Spock was disappointed. Suddenly, he had a flash of brilliance.

"Miss Ardana, how does one say "peanut butter cookie" in your language?"

Ardana giggled and then told him. During the course of the next few hours, Spock learned the

words for "peanut butter cookie" in French, Kiswahili, Arabic, Tellarite, Orion, and Andorian.


	3. Chapter 3

A "Frickin' Elephant"

Ardana was in the rec room again, observing her favorite little traveling companion, young Spock. His mother Amanda was down to the last item in her "bag of tricks", the tote she brought along with things to amuse her precocious three-year-old. Spock was enthralled with his box of 64 crayons and a huge coloring book of Terran animals with the names of each given in Earth Standard and in Vulcan. (Amanda had written in the Vulcan names herself!) This was educational enough to meet with even Sarek's approval.

Amanda carefully showed her son how to color, explaining that one of the goals was to stay within the lines. Spock quickly mastered the necessary skills and was quietly working away at his "task". Crayons and coloring books were unknown on Vulcan, and soon Sarek was as fascinated as his little son. He put down the mission briefing he was reading, and went to sit down by his wife and child.

"What are you coloring, my son?"

"A "frickin' elephant", Father.", came the innocent reply.

His parents exchanged shocked glances. He certainly had not heard that expression from either of them.

"Spock, what did you say?" Amanda tried to keep her voice level.

"I'm sure that is correct, Mother. That is what is written under the picture. See. A-F-R-I-C-A-N

E-L-E-P-H-A-N-T. "

"Son, that is pronounced African, and means that the elephant in the picture comes from the continent of Africa."

"Mother, we need to explain that to Lt. Pike. I heard him say he was knocked over in the corridor by a "frickin' Tellarite! He must not know where Tellarites come from."

Amanda and Ardana both had to leave the rec room and run into the corridor to laugh. Sarek merely raised an eyebrow and picked up a crayon, joining his son in his "labors".

A/NShame on me, I know, but I just had to do it!


	4. Chapter 4

The Tale of Eroyne and Ardana

As a Betazoid, Ardana was sensitive to the emotions of those around her, and what she was sensing from everyone aboard the Cochrane was boredom. Boredom was dangerous, especially for a 3-three-year-old with genius level intelligence. Just this morning, Spock had dismantled a tricorder left unattended by a careless crew member. He had been able to reassemble it, increasing its efficiency, with one or two parts leftover. Chief Engineer Ed Jones, however, was not amused, especially since he had designed that particular model himself. Clearly, Spock needed a new diversion.

"He may be a genius", thought Ardana, "but he is still a child. Children everywhere love stories." She hurried to her quarters, grabbed her camera, storytelling dolls and apron, and returned to the Rec Room. Ardana had been given these tools by her grandmother, a renowned storyteller, and often found them useful for relieving monotony or breaking the ice with groups of children. Next, she motioned to Lt. Pike, and handed him the camera. "I need a few pictures of this. You'll know when."

She pushed a chair into the middle of the room, slipped on her apron and sat down in the chair. Ardana immediately had the attention of all present, including young Spock, the only child on board.

"What are you wearing over your uniform, Miss Ardana?"

"This is a storytelling apron, and these are storytelling dolls. The apron has many pockets to hold the dolls until their particular character is involved in the story. As you may surmise, I am about to tell a story, one from my home planet. Bring a chair over and get comfortable." Spock complied with her request, as did several of the adults present, including Amanda. Sarek preferred to observe from across the room.

"This is the tale of Eroyne and Ardana, and yes, I am named for this character."

"Long ago, in the land of Green Plenty, lived a prince named Eroyne. (She pulled a small cloth doll out of a pocket, a male figure in armor.) He was an scholar, warrior and musician, who studied hard and always obeyed his parents. Someday, he would make a fine king. If Eroyne had one fault, it was that he craved adventure. There was, however, no adventure to be found in the land of Green Plenty. The people were sensible and content and the economy stable, making the King and his Council quite smug. Nothing could ever go wrong in the land of Green Plenty!"

"Eroyne was bored silly. He practiced his riding and weaponry skills, read books on leadership, and played his golden harp. He had nothing important or constructive to do. When he felt he could stand it no longer, he requested a meeting with his parents."

Ardana paused here in her story. "Spock, I need some assistance. Would you please hold Eroyne for me?"

"Yes, Miss Ardana."

"Now, where was I? Oh yes, Eroyne had requested a meeting with his parents, the King and Queen." (Ardana removes two gray-haired dolls with crowns from a pocket.) " Mother and Father, I wish to go on a quest, to find and assist those in trouble. There is no work for me to do here in Green Plenty."

"His parents did not consider his request to be either safe or sensible, but they knew their son was unhappy and bored. Reluctantly they gave him permission to go on his quest, and a few royal gifts to help him on his way. First was a purse of gold coins to cover his expenses. Next, a silver ring on a silken cord. The ring had magical power, and if placed on his finger would cause him to blend into his surroundings undetected. Finally, they gave him a magnificent flying steed named Rush." (Ardana stopped again, placing the King and Queen down on her lap for a moment. Out of yet another pocket came a black horse with silver wings. She reached for Eroyne, and placed him on Rush, where he was held in place with a Velcro fastener. She handed Eroyne and Rush back to Spock, and picked up the King and Queen.)

"The King and Queen gave Eroyne and Rush a royal blessing, and sent them on their way. " (Ardana put the royal couple away, and reached for Eroyne.) "Eroyne and Rush flew over the mountains, into the Kingdom of Not-So-Rosy. When Rush's wings became tired, they landed in a broad, green valley and Eroyne decided he would walk for awhile, leading his friend and allowing him to recover. (At this, Spock removed Eroyne from Rush's back.) Through the valley ran a wide, deep, and rapid stream. There was no way to cross until Rush had rested, but at least they had plenty of fresh water, and green grass for Rush to eat. They ambled downstream, as Rush grazed."

"Eroyne was becoming hungry himself. Finally, they came to a narrow spot in the stream, spanned by a bridge. In the distance, Eroyne saw a village. "Perhaps there will be an inn where I can purchase a meal", he thought. As they prepared to cross the bridge, a mean, old troll blocked their path. "Stop, I say!", growled the troll. (At this, Ardana removed a hideously ugly, lumpy purple doll from yet another pocket.) "I own this bridge and you must pay me the toll I demand in order to cross." Eroyne pondered this for a moment, and considered this to be fair. After all, his father the King collected tolls and taxes on everything he built. It was a sensible way to maintain the infrastructure. He reached into his saddle bag, and removed a gold coin from the purse his father had given him."

"I have no need of your gold!" snarled the troll. "I am wealthy enough. You must entertain me with a love song, one you have composed yourself." At this Eroyne became concerned. He could certainly compose music, as his parents had provided him with the finest teachers, but he knew nothing of love. All of his youth had spent in studies and military training. Yet if he were ever to cross this bridge and find food, he would have to comply with the troll's wishes. And so he grabbed his harp and began: (At this, Ardana produced a miniature harp from a pocket, and attached to Eroyne's hand.)

_My love is like the springtime rains,_

_Spreading new life over the plains._

_She is like unto the summer sun,_

_Warm and bright where wild things run._

_My love is like the autumn night,_

_She glows as does the moonlight._

_She is like the white winter snow,_

_A blanket for hugging all below._

"Fortunately, the troll did not have high standards, especially since he was not accustomed to having his demand met. He broke into sentimental sobs, and allowed Eroyne and Rush passage across the bridge." (At this point, the troll and harp are returned to their pockets.)

"When they reached the other side of the bridge, they were met by a shriveled, old hag. (Ardana returns Eroyne and Rush to Spock and produces a a tiny, gray-haired figure, dressed in rags.) "Please sir", she begged, "Can you spare me some bread?"

"I have no food on me", replied Eroyne, "But if you tell me where I can find an inn, I will see to it that we are all well fed." The hag indicated a large building alongside the road, near the center of the village. He lifted the old woman onto Rush's back, and they continued on to the inn. (She hands the old woman to Spock, who attaches her to Rush.)

Once there, he helped her down again, (Spock detached the old woman from the flying steed, and handed her to Ardana), removed his saddlebag, and entrusted Rush to the care of the stable boy. (A small male figure in peasant attire appears.) "Please feed him and groom him well., and give him fresh straw to sleep on." (Spock returns Rush to Ardana, who places him in a pocket.)

"I will do so, my lord." (The stable boy returns to his pocket.) Eroyne and the old woman enter the inn. (Another doll appears, a rotund older man.) "Innkeeper, we have need of your finest food, and two clean, comfortable rooms for the night." "Right away, my lord". (The innkeeper doll vanishes.)

"They are served a very fine meal indeed, and as they dined, they conversed. (Ardana reached for Eroyne.) "My name is Eroyne and I come from the Kingdom of Green Plenty. I don't believe I caught your name,"

"That is because I have not given it. I am Ardana, a native of Not-So-Rosy. What brings you so far from home?"

"I am on a quest to help those in need. My life needs purpose and adventure, and there was none to be found in my own land."

"Purpose and adventure", thought old Ardana. He was obviously of noble blood, brave, strong, and handsome, as well as kind and courteous. Could he be the hero her land had been waiting for?"

"Brave lord, our land is in trouble. A horrible monster has come to dwell here. We have named him Omnivorous, as he eats everything in his path. Nothing is safe, not our crops, livestock, nor even our children. He takes what ever pleases him."

"How horrible", cried Eroyne. "I must do whatever I can to assist Not-So-Rosy. Perhaps I can slay Omnivorous. Do you know where to find him?"

"He lives in a cave at the base of the mountain that overlooks this village He has a weakness, he is missing the scales that should cover his throat. However, no one who's ever gotten close enough to put him to the sword has survived the attempt."

Eroyne considered this. "Given the lateness of the hour, I believe that we should rest for the night, that I may be fresh for my conflict with Omnivorous. On my way to meet him, I will first see you to safety. I bid you goodnight." (Ardana reaches for Eroyne.)

"In the morning, after another good meal, having paid the innkeeper and tipped the stable boy, (both make a brief appearance and are quickly returned to a pocket), Eroyne and Ardana are reunited with Rush. (Rush is handed back to Spock, who anticipates the storyteller, and places the old woman on the horse.) (Ardana smiles at him. "Good job." she whispers.) (Pike snaps a picture.)

"Together they set out toward the mountain. "Where is a safe place that I can take you before I face Omnivorous?" asked Eroyne.

"I do not wish to leave you, my lord, as I am also on a quest. My true form is not as you see me now. (Ardana reaches for the old woman, places her in a pocket, and takes out a beautiful young maiden, dressed in finery and wearing a crown.) I am the daughter of the King of Not-So-Rosy. Having no son, my father entrusted me with the task of finding a hero to save our land. He gave me an enchanted bracelet that allows me to assume other forms as needed. My lord, Eroyne, you have met all the qualifications my father stated were necessary for the defender of our kingdom. You are strong and brave, selfless, kind, and generous. I must stay with you until Omnivorous is defeated, and then I must escort you, along with the head of Omnivorous, to my father's palace. There, you shall have a great reward."

"Then, let us all continue on" stated the even more emboldened Eroyne. "Together they made their way to the cave at the base of the mountain. On the way, they hatched a plan. When they had reached the cave, Ardana put on her magic bracelet and assumed the form of a young calf." (The Princess doll is returned to the storyteller, and a calf is handed to young Spock.) She stood in the cave's entrance and bleated, to attract Omnivorous' attention. In the meantime, Eroyne mounts Rush, (Eroyne is handed to Spock, who attaches him to Rush. Spock attempts to hand them both to Ardana, but she shakes her head.)

"Eroyne put on his Magic Ring, and now he and Rush blend in with their surroundings. This is just is time, as Ardana's bleatings have awakened Omnivorous from his slumber." (An orange dragon with four blue wings is brought out from the apron.) "Ardana hides along the side of the mountain." (The storyteller reaches for the calf and places it in a pocket.) Eroyne draws his sword, (A miniature sword is handed to Spock, who attaches it to Eroyne's hand.)

"Both the monster and the winged steed take to the sky". (Ardana raises the dragon up and motions for Spock to do the same. Pike snaps another picture.) "Omnivorous is seeking his prey, unaware that he is being pursued. Eroyne and Rush see their chance, and lunge at the monster, and Eroyne's aim is true." (A wide-eyed Spock causes the sword to make contact with the pale patch on the dragon's throat, then Ardana drops the beast into her lap.) "Omnivorous falls dead, and Eroyne and Rush land safely on the ground. Eroyne dismounts." (Ardana puts Omnivorous in a pocket and reaches for Eroyne.) "He cuts off Omnivorous' head, and calls to Ardana." (The storyteller grabs the Princess and an orange dragon head from yet another pocket. She removes the sword and attaches the head to Eroyne's hand.)

"Let us take Omnivorous' head to your father" said an exuberant Eroyne. (Ardana reaches for Rush, and places the Princess on his back.) "They set out for the palace of the King of Not-So-Rosy, and reach it by nightfall." (Ardana produces yet another robed and crowned figure from her apron, handing it to Spock,) "Eroyne gives the King Omnivorous' head." (Ardana removes the head from Eroyne's hand and attaches it to the King's. She also removes the Princess from Rush's back and places Rush in a pocket.) "The King is most impressed with the heroics of both Eroyne and his daughter Ardana."

"Eroyne, I have heard your name and know that you are the Crown Prince of Green Plenty. I have only one treasure worthy to bestow on one of such nobility. I give you the hand of my daughter Ardana in marriage. I trust that this pleases you."

"It pleased both Eroyne and Ardana very much, as they had fallen in love. They were married in the morning, and the Kingdom of Not-So-Rosy resumed its former name of Rosy Future. The King gave them some special gifts, including a winged mare named Tranquility and a bag of magic grain. The King also gave them his blessing and sent them on their way to Green Plenty" (Ardana placed the Princess on Tranquility's back, and handed Rush back to Spock, who placed Eroyne on his back. The King, with Omnivorous' head still attached, was placed in a pocket.) "They each fed their mounts a handful of the Magic Grain, and found themselves in Green Plenty only a few moments later."

(Ardana handed the Princess and Tranquility to Spock, and brought out the King and Queen of Green Plenty.) Welcome back, my son" said the King. "Was your quest successful?"

"Yes, it was, Father. I wrote a song, helped those in need, restored a kingdom, and found a bride. I have had enough adventure for awhile, and am ready to settle down."

"This pleased his parents greatly. There was happiness in both lands, and when the old kings died, their kingdoms were united into one large one, called Green Plenty and Rosy Future. Eroyne and Ardana were blessed with many offspring, as were Rush and Tranquility. The End."

With that, Ardana's tale concluded, and the Rec Room was filled with applause. Spock and Ardana looked up, to see that the Rec Room was crowded with diplomats and crew. When had they all come in? There were just a few when the tale began.

"Wonderful, simply wonderful" boomed Captain Komack. I have not been so entertained since I was a child. Cadet Treli, you have a great gift, and a very good little helper. Thank you so much for relieving the boredom."

Everyone seemed to have enjoyed it, although the Vulcans seemed a little bewildered. Apparently when Vulcans told stories, they were the ones passed down over thousands of years, repeated verbatim, with no visual aids and no artistic license. The storyteller imparted none of his or herself. Vulcans just could not grasp storytelling as an art form, at least not adult Vulcans.

"Thank you for telling the story and letting me help, Miss Ardana. Do you have another?"

**A/NThank you, Gwen Kathleen, for the idea of the fairytale from Betazed. Eroyne's rather lame song is an original poem, written by me and my hubby. Chief Engineer Ed Jones is a tribute to my grandfather, a master carpenter.**


	5. Chapter 5

The Chess Champ

Amanda awoke in their quarters on the Cochrane with a migraine, so she got herself a cup of water and one of the tablets prescribed by the family healer for just such an unfortunate occasion. There was really nothing else to do for it except several hours of rest in a darkened room.

Sarek had finished his daily meditation, and observed the pained look on her face. "My wife, you are ill."

"Yes, another migraine. It has been so long since I had one that I was hoping they were all in the past. I fear it falls to you to amuse and care for our son today."

"Do not concern yourself. We will be fine." Though, truth be told, Sarek was more at ease with half a dozen irritated Tellarites than with his clever three-year-old. He tucked his wife in, dimmed the lights in the bed chamber, and went to find little Spock, who was already dressing himself for breakfast.

"My son, your mother is ill today. We must occupy ourselves elsewhere so that she may have rest and quiet. Gather your books and crayons, and we will go to breakfast."

"Yes, Father." Spock obediently put the things he would need in a small backpack. Then he and Sarek walked to the Rec Room. Once there, Sarek selected breakfast for them both, oatmeal with cinnamon and raisins, fried apples and cranberry juice. He knew his son enjoyed all of these, so he would be able to tell his wife that Spock had at least eaten well.

They took their seats at the usual table, one chair containing an improvised booster seat for Spock. Lt. Pike had noticed that the little guy was kneeling on his chair in order to reach the table, so a flat, sturdy box was found for Spock to sit on. Starships were not set up to accommodate small children. Soon they were joined by Skar, Sarek's junior aide, and Spock's favorite out of all his father's staff. In his off hours, Skar was a musician, and had shown little Spock how to play the keyboard located in the Rec Room. Recently married, Skar looked forward to teaching music to his own children. His wife, T'Ler, was one of Amanda's private students, having been tutored in Federation Standard and Terran culture. T' Ler had not made this journey, as she was expecting their first child. The trio ate their meal in silence, while Sarek wondered how he would amuse his son.

A crewman entered the Rec Room, broom in hand, and set about sweeping the floor. Inadvertently, he bumped into a table holding a two-dimensional chess set. Sarek was a past-Grand Master of Three-Dimensional chess on his homeworld, so he considered such a game beneath him. Perhaps, however, it might serve to occupy his son, while also being educational.

"Come, little one, and bring your box. I will teach you an Earth game."

Spock raised an eyebrow. _His_ father was going to teach him an _Earth _game? Would wonders never cease? He grabbed the box from the chair and hurried over to the table where Sarek had already seated himself. Sarek's statement also caught Ardana's attention. "This should be interesting" she thought.

In fact, it was not very interesting initially. Before play started, Sarek launched into a 30 minute dissertation on the rules, how each piece moved, and various strategies. Halfway through it, she could hear several diplomats and crew members beginning to snore.

Finally play commenced, with the first game ending quickly. Sarek won, of course. It was not logical to play at less than one's best, simply to encourage a child. Also, Spock would expect nothing else from his father. They played three more games, and with each it took Sarek a few more moves to defeat Spock. His son was grasping the concepts.

An unexpected communication from Vulcan took Sarek away for a while. Skar had been listening to Sarek's explanation of chess, and volunteered to play a few games with Spock. Sarek gratefully accepted this offer, and hurried away. They played, and on the third game, a very strange thing happened. The three-year-old won in fourteen moves! Thinking it an anomaly, Skar set up the board again, and this time Spock won in twelve moves. Skar would never be able to live this down.

Spock looked around the Rec Room for another opponent.

First up was Dr. Seamus Murphy, a jovial Irishman with a zest for life. He was the father of eight children, including a three-year-old son. When the diplomatic party had first come aboard the Cochrane, Murphy had asked Amanda the question everyone always wanted to know, but were generally to shy to ask. "Ma'am, the lad's Vulcan heritage is obvious, but what Terran culture can claim the other half?" The Doctor was delighted to learn that Spock had both Irish and European Jewish heritage. "A wee leprechaun! I knew it", though he kept that thought to himself.. Spock defeated Murphy in twelve moves, as well. Murphy laughed it off, and thought fondly on his wee Sean at home.

Various disbelieving crew members all wanted to play with the little prodigy, and all lost in their turn. Like all hot gossip, word quickly traveled throughout the ship, finally reaching the Chief Engineer, Ed Jones. Ed had had it in for the little Vulcan, ever since the "tricorder incident", and would like nothing better than to best him at something. (And yes, even Ed knew that this was a ridiculous attitude to have toward a preschooler, but he couldn't help how he felt.)

At lunch time, Ed made his way to the Rec Room, where Spock had just defeated his latest victim, a Tellarite in eleven moves. Sarek was leaning against the wall on the far side of the room, with something that looked like the tiniest smirk on his face. The Tellarite rose in disgust, and Ed sat down in his place. After ten moves, Ed was madder than ever.

Again, there was disbelief in the Rec Room. The only person on the Cochrane who had ever beaten the Chief Engineer was Lt. Christopher Pike. The ship's honor was now at stake. Pike was located, relieved of his watch responsibilities, and sent to the Rec Room.

Little Spock had just finished his lunch of tomato soup, cheese sandwich, and honeydew melon. He had been quite hungry after such a busy morning. Pike approached him. "Hey, little buddy, I hear you play chess. How about a game?"

"That would be acceptable." They walked to the table with the chess set. Spock sat on his booster seat, Pike in the chair opposite. It took twenty-eight moves, for you see, Pike had been a past Starfleet Two-Dimensional Chess Grand Master. Finally, however, Spock won. Pike was a graceful loser, and even suggested a prize he knew would appeal to the child.

"Mr. Ambassador, in a few minutes, we will be passing close to the Trecian Nebula. May I take your son to the Observation Deck to see it?"

"Yes, you have my permission, Lt. Pike, and thank you. Spock, please do not give Lt. Pike any trouble."

"I will behave, Father."

The Observation Deck was Spock's favorite spot on the ship. Together, the Starfleet officer and the child hurried there, stopping on the way at a replicator Spock had not noticed before. "Two oatmeal raisin cookies, please." Pike wrapped these in napkins, as he had seen Spock do, and then they continued on.

When they reached their destination, Pike pulled a low, flat box from behind a larger crate. He set it on the floor in front of the viewing port, indicating that Spock should climb up on it. It was the perfect height for Spock to see out. Then Pike handed the boy one of the napkin-wrapped oatmeal raisin cookies. "You need to branch out a little." Spock raised and eyebrow, and then thanked him.

Suddenly the multicolored nebula appeared before them. Both appreciated the awesome sight, while quietly munching away on their cookies.


	6. Chapter 6

Blue

Blue is not a common color on Vulcan. There, the daytime sky has a reddish cast, this is reflected in what little surface water exists, making the small Vulcan oceans and lakes appear red. The landscapes of his home world were mostly shades of red, brown, tan and gray. His people dressed in the same muted hues. Blue was one of the first things young Spock noticed when he came aboard the Cochrane. There were blue shirts, blue decks, blue chairs in the Rec Room, blue Andorians and even blueberries in his waffles this morning. The big box of crayons his mother had given him had more shades of blue than any other color… Blue was everywhere.

Today would be their last day on the ship, which was already approaching the Federation's Terran Spacedock. "Spock, please be certain that you have all your books and toys in your backpack. We won't be able to come back for anything."

"Yes mother. I think I have everything, but I will check again." There it was on the floor, one crayon, labeled 'cerulean blue'. He picked it up, opened his backpack, and placed it in the crayon box. The crayons had been well used, and he enjoyed coloring very much. In addition to his Terran animal coloring book, Spock had also been given replicated starship drawings to color. These came from his friend Lt. Pike, and he prized them greatly. Captain Komack had given him a small metal replica of the Cochrane, and Ardana Treli had replicated him a miniature version of Rush, the winged steed from her Betazed fairytale. Down in the very bottom of the backpack, where he hoped his mother would not look, were six napkin-wrapped peanutbutter cookies, freshly replicated this morning. While he hoped that the food at the Vulcan Embassy would be better than that on the Cochrane, one never knew. His backpack was definitely heavier than when he came aboard.

"I'm sure I have everything now, Mother."

"Good. Let's go meet your father. We have only a few minutes before we are scheduled to board the shuttle."

They met up with Ardana Treli on the way, and she accompanied them to the shuttle bay. They walked up the shuttle's ramp, and took seats inside. Spock's parents allowed him to have a window seat, and found some type of cushion to raise him up so he could see out. He was carefully strapped into his seat by his mother, who sat next to him. Their entire luggage had been stowed. It would not be needed, as the flight was only for a few minutes.

Finally, everyone was aboard and securely fastened into their seats. The shuttle pilot started the engine, and the shuttle bay doors opened. They were now away from the Cochrane. The pilot made a turn, and then Spock could see the entire ship in profile, as well as the Spacedock. What he saw next, however, took his breath away.

There it was, Terra, his mother's homeworld, and on its far side, Luna, its natural satellite. Terra was a big blue and white ball when observed from space.

"Mother, is all that blue water?

"Yes, Spock. It's all water. Those are oceans. The white masses are clouds, made up of water vapor. When we land in San Francisco, we will be close to a large body of water called The San Francisco Bay. It leads into the Pacific Ocean."

Just then, the shuttle broke through the Terran atmosphere. The ride was rough for a few seconds, then smoothed out. Suddenly, the shuttle touched down with a gentle thud. When the pilot gave the all clear, the passengers unbuckled themselves and started to claim their luggage.

Sarek grabbed Spock's backpack and set it at the boy's feet. Next came the small bag in which Amanda had packed jackets for them all. San Francisco could be notoriously chilly, and after so many years on Vulcan even she was likely to feel cold. Out came a small hooded jacket, in blue, of course. Spock put this on, and his mother helped him zip it up. The jacket was followed by a blue hat and mittens. Spock could only be recognized by his eyes. His father helped him with his backpack, and then his parents put on their own coats. They would need to wait for the rest of their baggage to be unloaded, and then reloaded into the ground transport that would take them to the Vulcan Embassy.

Upon seeing Spock, Ardana giggled, saying that he looked like an Eskimo. Not knowing who or what an Eskimo was, he did not understand why she was amused. Finally, they exited the shuttle via the ramp.

There it was, not far from them, a huge body of water. More water than Spock had ever seen in his short life. It was blue. He was beginning to like blue.

"Spock, may I take your picture one last time? With all this blue, you won't show up against the water." Ardana had Spock turn so that the main building of Starfleet Academy was behind him. It made a good contrast. She snapped the photo.

A/NA big thank you to my wonderful Beta, dragonwitch250! One more chapter to go!


	7. Chapter 7

Prince Charming Grows Up

This would be Commander Ardana Treli's last assignment before her retirement from Starfleet. She was aboard USS Enterprise, currently en route to new Vulcan colony. Her assignment was to observe the process involved in re-establishing Vulcan culture and civilization. She would also be providing the Vulcan Cultural Ministry with copies of all the pertinent documents, films, photos, etc. that were available in Federation archives. This was literally millions of records of Vulcan's recent past.

Ardana also had another mission, to give a certain Vulcan some very personal pieces of his own past. She had met the ship's young First Officer and his parents when he was a child, at the very beginning of her career; on her first space mission. Ardana and Amanda had become friends, and had occasionally corresponded over the years, so she had been able to observe his progress from a distance. Ardana had been saddened by Amanda death and Vulcan's destruction, now almost three years in the past.

They had arranged to meet in the Rec Room, of all places. He brought his lovely, obviously pregnant wife Nyota with him. She was taken aback when she saw him. The cute little boy had become a handsome young man. Their child would be absolutely adorable . She was also struck by the similarities between Spock's life and that of the Betazoid folk hero Eroyne. Ardana had told Spock this tale when they first met.

"Good morning, Commander Spock. You probably don't remember me."

"To the contrary, Commander Treli, I remember you and the diplomatic mission to the Jorians very well. You and my mother maintained a friendship afterward. She always spoke well of you."

"Thank you. I miss her very much. The reason I requested this meeting is that I have some items I think should rightly belong to you. These are photos and video clips of you and your family from the Jorian mission."

She spread several photos on the table. There was one of Amanda holding Spock up in front of an old-fashioned viewing port, another of Sarek and Spock coloring, one of Spock playing chess with Lt. Pike, a few others of Spock by himself, holding what appeared to be small dolls, and a final of Spock in a blue parka.

Nyota oohed and aahed over these. "Spock, you were just adorable, a regular little Prince Charming. How old were you?"

Spock shifted uncomfortably in his chair, the tips of his ears turning slightly green. "I was three at that time." Just then, Spock was mercifully interrupted by a call to the bridge. "I shall rejoin you later." He exited the Rec Room as quickly as possible.

"Goody, we're alone!" exclaimed Ardana. "I have got some stories to tell you!"

"I can't wait.".....

The situation on the bridge took longer to clear up than expected. When a tired Spock finally reached his quarters, he was greeted with a kiss by a giggling Nyota. While he showered, she laid out his favorite sleep pants and T-shirt on the bed, along with something tied up in a cellophane bag and a pile of napkins.

When he had dressed himself, he picked up the bag and looked at his wife questioningly.

"Go ahead, open them. I understand that they used to be one of your favorites."

With a twinkle in his eye and a lift of his brow, he shoved a peanutbutter cookie in his mouth.

The End!

A/NAgain, kudos to my awesome Beta, dragonwitch250.


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